Venezia Blues
by RememberingThePast
Summary: It was among a sea of masks that he first spotted her. An Aria/Assassin's creed crossover
1. A Venetian Fantasy

AN – Just as a prerequisite, I highly suggest at least familiarizing yourself with the Aria anime/manga series if you've never heard of it before. It shouldn't take away from the story in any way if you don't but it will certainly help, especially considering I don't like giving character descriptions (there is a picture of our leading lady on my profile page if you don't feel like searching). All I'm doing is taking the characters from Aria and transporting them into renaissance Venice instead of Neo-Venezia. Also, my stories tend get better with every chapter so try to stick with it if you're at least a little bit interested. Sorry for the long AN, onto the story.

Chapter 1 A Venetian Fantasy

Venezia's Carnivale was something that he had never quite grown accustomed to. The way the crowd hummed with a life all its own, moved to a beat that held an entirely unique rhythm, made him feel as if he was standing alone among lions. It never frightened him, this loneliness – this void – quite the contrary in fact. It made him feel alive. The colorful lights, the blazing bonfires – they breathed life into his steps as he slowly waded through wave after wave of masked men and women.

It was during this controlled confusion that he caught sight of her. He had heard talk of this "Snow White" ever since his arrival in Venezia, but at that current time he pushed back such thoughts in favor of the task he had set himself. He had come to the City upon the Waters in order to destroy the men responsible for Italy's unrest. It was his duty as a part of the order as well as to uphold the promises he made to the Brotherhood; he didn't have time to dawdle among pleasures, especially ones that had to be found instead of bought. The trouble hardly seemed worth the effort at the time.

If he remembered correctly, she was part of a popular gondolier business known as Aria Company (He did do a bit of digging after all, it was only natural). Despite being quite the popular attraction to both locals of Venezia and foreigners across Italy, the company was rather small, consisting of only two employees –Snow White herself, along with her apprentice. She was quite young (early twenties, he believed) to be in possession of such a successful company, which gave rise to suspicion, stirring his early investigations. Though, at the time his motivations lied elsewhere.

This was the first time he actually had set eyes on her and for a moment he was disappointed that masks were almost enforced during Carnival but quickly remembered that without his own, he'd have the city guards trailing his every step like the dirt licking dogs they were. As he strolled leisurely towards the canal, he watched her bid farewell to her customers, a content smile lingering on her lips as she helped one particularly old woman from the gondola. Her blue eyes were vivid against the golden mask that concealed the upper part of her face and her blond hair fell in a loose braid down her back.

He watched her silently from the crowd for a moment before a mischievous smile quirked his lips upward. He cleared his throat and casually approached the gondola, grinning inwardly as the metaphorical hunt began.

"Madonna," he began smoothly. At the sound of his voice, her wandering eyes settled upon him and he watched in mild amusement as the fireworks burst behind her. "Would you mind if I accompanied you to your destination?"

"My, my, are you perhaps the Casanova the people of Venezia speak of?" Her light-hearted smile remained on her lips as she looked down upon him from her perch on the gondola. She leaned slightly on the oar, her braid falling over her shoulder as she attempted to see through the darkness of his hood.

"Perhaps," he drawled, "But I'm sure they know me by another name."

"Oh? What might that be?"

Assassin_. _"Ezio."

The gondola gently rocked upon the waters, her body mimicking the movement of waves. He studied her as a silence passed over the both of them, waiting for any type of inclination that she might have known who he was. Instead, she placed one foot upon the cobblestone and stretched out her bare left hand.

"Well, Signore Ezio, please give me your hand." Even though he doubted he needed the help, he gently grasped her hand and allowed her to guide him to his seat. Her hand was soft but cold, most likely an effect of Venezia's cold February nights, especially when one was out among the air in the Grand Canal. Once he was comfortably seated, arms spread out and one hand hanging precariously over the gondola's edge, she pushed off effortlessly from the stone wall and the gondola floated like a cloud in the air.

The sounds of Carnivale were beginning to slowly fade into the distance, though despite the discreet noises of the remaining nightlife, the festivity was far from over for some. "Is there any place in particular you would like to go?" she asked after a few minutes.

He didn't reply immediately, content as he was listening to the water lap against the sides of the boat. However, after a few moments of quiet contemplation he replied absentmindedly, "The Piazza San Marco."

He could vaguely feel the slight turn in the gondola and how the wind's pressure on his face shifted. It only occurred to him now that fatigue had begun the conquest of his mind. His eyelids were heavy and his body suddenly felt like lead. He struggled to remain alert but his weary mind told him there was no imminent threat to his life and how unlikely it was that someone would want his life so badly they would tread into deep waters to get it.

And so, with his suspicions quelled by his clouded mind, he fell into light sleep.

Time passed, of that he was sure, for by the time they arrived at the docks of the San Marco Square the sun could be seen peeking over the horizon, sending its warm pink and orange hues across the sky, chasing away the glacial blue the moon left behind. Through his haze like stupor somewhere between consciousness and sleep, he could discern the young woman securing the gondola to the pier. Her mask had been discarded, he noticed, for it glittered uncontrollably in the sun beside him. After finishing her task, the Undine roused him from his light slumber by placing a frigid hand on his shoulder and giving a gentle shake. She really needed to invest in some gloves, he thought, or else she wouldn't have any fingers by the time spring rolled around.

"Sir," she urged, "We have arrived."

At her prodding, he briskly wiped away the last vestiges of sleep from his mind and stood. Once again she offered to help him but he quickly exited the gondola before that could occur. Before taking his leave, and in hopes of salvaging his failed hunt, he gathered her right hand in his and brought the icy soft skin to his lips. He couldn't tell whether or not the color upon her cheeks was a result of his actions or the reflection of the morning sun's light on her face.

"You have my many thanks." He said.

She bowed in return, her hair falling over her shoulder. "Thank you very much for patronage. I hope to see you visit Aria Company in the future."

He smiled at her before turning on his heel and started his journey to where ever the wind would take him. This certainly had turned out to be a rather uneventful night. However, he was going to make sure that this would be the last.


	2. Buona Notte, Mr Winter Day

"Alicia?"

"Yes Akari?" She could hear shuffling, but kept her eyes trained on the report in front of her.

"A man stopped by yesterday looking for you." Akari told her animatedly, "He wore this long cloak and his hood covered his face."

"My, my, doesn't that sound familiar."

"Do you know him, Alicia?"

She laughed quietly, "You could say that." She placed the paper upon the table and looked at her apprentice with a soft smile.

"He left a message saying that he wanted to see you, but decided not to make an appointment." Akari shrugged, "I don't think he knows how busy it gets here."

"If he wants another tour that badly then he will be back, otherwise I'll have to track him down myself." She stood from the table, organizing the papers strewn across its top into a neat pile, "He seems to think that a kiss is worth the tour fee."

She watched amusedly as her junior's eyes widened, the cup in her hands threatening to spill all over the floor. "Careful." She warned, tapping Akari lightly on the hand.

"Oh, sorry," Akari smiled apologetically, placing the cup carefully upon the table before mopping up the few droplets that had jumped overboard. It was impossible not to notice the inconspicuous glances the Undine in training was giving her, though Akari's somewhat naive and innocent outlook on life certainly made life in Aria Company never dull.

"It's nothing to worry about." Alicia reassured her, taking the pile of papers from the table before they would be accidentally used as napkins.

"Are you going to be busy today?"

"Yes, I'll be out until the evening, so be sure to take care of President Aria while I'm gone."

"Yes Ma'am!" Akari exclaimed enthusiastically, her right hand snapping to her forehead in a mock salute, nearly knocking the cup over for the second time this morning. However, it was mornings like these that made life worth it.

"My, my," After depositing the papers upon the counter that overlooked the Adriatic Sea, she dusted off imaginary particles from her uniform before straitening her beret and heading for the door, "Take care Akari."

"Have a good day at work!" Akari called after her.

As she headed toward the company pier, a quiet smile had already settled on her lips. The salty sea air blew against her face, nearly biting but always pleasant. There were gray cloudy skies that threatened snow, drowning the world in colorless veil and despite the fact that the day had just begun for her, there was a creeping numbness that had already taken her hands as prisoners.

She never considered her job as work. Sure, being among the most popular gondolier businesses certainly meant that one needn't worry about there being food upon the table, but ever since she was a child she grew up with the idea that if she could meet a million different people and enjoy every moment she spent here in Venezia, she would be content. It was a naïve idea, she knew, but that dream had always stuck with her. Aria Company was, in a way, a means to an end – a way of accomplishing her dream. However, after spending time within this separate (magical) part of Venezia that Aria Company occupied, she felt like spending the rest of her life here, forever on the waters, here in this city by the sea.

"Miss Undine,"

Her eyes snapped back to her customers, who were standing patiently on the dock. "We would like to thank you for the tour, it was a magnificent experience," said the man as he struggled to keep his overly excited children in check. "If we ever find ourselves in Venezia again, I hope you will grace us with another tour."

"It would be my pleasure."

"Bye, bye, Alicia!" called out the young girl, one hand waving vigorously while the other was firmly grasped within her father's large hand.

She stood upon the pier even after the family of three had long since disappeared into the crowd, gazing somewhat dazedly into the masses. She enjoyed seeing the people of Venezia bathed in the deep orange light of the setting sun; it gave these cold winter days the appearance of warmth and allowed her to forget about the icy feeling in her hands.

"Such a lovely winter's day we're having, is it not signorina?"

She couldn't quite place that voice at first, its low smooth baritone still somewhat unfamiliar to her ears, but the image of an eagle quickly came to mind. "Signore Casanova?" she whispered, almost to herself, as her eyes slowly took in the form that blended in so well with the others.

He stood where the cobblestone met the water, far enough away from the swarms of life that buzzed within Venezia to be visible but close enough so as to disappear within an instant if need be. His white coat and cloak appeared nearly red in the setting sun's light, and the gusts of wind that blew in from the Grand Canal stirred the hood that shrouded his face just enough for her to catch a glimpse of his winter colored cheeks. If he wasn't warm, then she wasn't sure what would be.

"I came to apologize for my abrupt departure the other day," he said with a gentle yet mischievous smile. As he made his way toward where she stood upon the docks, he dug something out of one of the many pouches that adorned his waist. "And as a token of my apology, I would like for you to accept this."

In his palm he held two simple white gloves.

Her smile faltered for a moment – a 'my, my' escaping from her lips without her knowledge – and for a split second a foreign kind of happiness filled her. It was a weird feeling, something that reminded her of how the soft sand always welcomed the waves, no matter how mad they were. She never was someone who liked to dwell on melancholy thoughts though, so those fleeting images were quickly smothered by the sea.

Stepping down from the Gondola and onto the pier, she looked up into his shaded face, eyes searching his shrouded features. She couldn't see much, to her disappointment, but out of the corner of her eye she saw snow fall. She smiled at him, well aware of how in the open she was, before turning her gaze to the gloves in his hand. How was she going to tell him that Prima Undines were not allowed to wear gloves? Well, that might not be completely true; the lack of gloves signifies the journey Undines in training go through to become Primas, but she never actually considered if it was against custom for Primas to wear gloves. Maybe this could be something to discuss during the next Gondola Association meeting…

"If I'm not mistaken, your name is Alicia, correct?"

She gazed up at him, unable to hold back the growing smile on her lips, "Yes, but I'm sure people know me by another name."

Her acquaintance chuckled, his fingers curling over the gloves, securing them in his grasp as his arm slowly lowered to his side. He casually shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking at her almost wistfully before gesturing to the bustling sunset streets of Venezia, "Care to join me for a walk?"

She looked back longingly at the sea for a brief moment, watching the white gondola as it rocked upon the waves. The snow, though it nearly just begun, had already blanketed the ground in a thin sheet of white. It was an interesting sight, she thought, she couldn't remember the last time it snowed while the sun was still watching over the world. She loved the warm summer days of Venezia, but there was a certain beautiful tranquility that gave these winter days a warmth all its own.

As she watched this world unravel around her, she found that she wanted to see it all –every waterway, nook, and secret place that Venezia had to offer – and before she realized it she had answered, "That sounds like a great idea."

And this is where she found herself, walking along side this strange suave man. He had this essence about him that exuded from every facet of his being. The way he held himself with such poise and walked with such purpose in his steps suggested that she hadn't come across just any man. She was aware that this city held various secrets, treasures for those who dared to explore, but perhaps the best surprises were held close to the hearts of the people who walk these very streets.

"Do you live here in Venezia?" He asked after some time.

She glanced up at him quickly before returning her eyes to the ground, "I've lived here my whole life."

He studied her thoughtfully. "You look like you belong here." He added, almost as an afterthought.

"It comes with experience," she explained, though there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "It's not so much as getting use to this city, but the city getting to know you. At least that what I've come to believe." She looked off distantly, somewhat aware that the pier was coming back into view, "It's almost as if this city is alive and takes upon a different form as it molds to each of us."

She noticed a smirk growing on his lips, "My dear signorina, do you often speak in such a flowery language? You make it appear as if spring has come early."

She felt heat rise to her cheeks and she smiled up at him, giving a slight shrug. "It's a part of the job, I guess."

The Piazza San Marco was nearly empty, illuminated only by the occasional street lamp. The Campanile cast an almost vicious shadow despite how the moon hung so comfortably among gray clouds. It felt somewhat strange to be here now, despite being among this city her entire life she had never seen this plaza so barren. This emptiness, while a foreign occurrence in Venezia, did not feel unusual to her, instead it only further exemplified the fact that there was so much more to experience here. It made her sigh happily, a skip finding a way into her step, as she closed the last few feet that separated her from the sea.

"Here," he said finally, causing her to turn back around, her eyes immediately focusing on the two white gloves he held in his palm. They looked almost strange when compared to his large and somewhat rough hand. "It would make me happy if you would accept my gift."

With an almost hesitant delicacy, as if those hands might suddenly cause harm, she gathered the feather soft gloves in her hands. "Thank you."

His lips curved into a smile as he gave a graceful bow. "Well then, Buona Notte madonna." He said before turning towards the Basilica, his cloak billowing out behind him.

As she watched him fade into the darkness, it occurred to her that maybe it was about time she said good night to these winter days.

AN – thanks for reading, it should be updated every other week. Please tell me what you think. Oh, I wasn't sure what to call a gondolier hat so I made her wear a beret instead.


	3. Teach Me of Life, Love, and Venezia

Spring in Venezia came with an almost thunderous force. The late February showers appeared to wash away the last vestiges of Carnevale and brought with it the real face of Venezia. While it wasn't quite spring yet, this city was slowly but surely gaining the color it once lost and with it came a new sense of life that had been vacant through those long winter days.

Or perhaps those dreary gray days were finally beginning to take their toll on him.

"Ezio, my friend, is something troubling you?"

"No, what would make you think that?" he asked as he fiddled with one of the many contraptions that littered Leonardo's workshop.

"Because you're looking at that device like it actually makes sense."

Ezio let out a frustrated sigh, placing the object back upon the work bench before slumping into one of the few empty chairs. "I find this city to be very dull following Carnevale."

Chuckling, Leonardo casually strode to stand behind him and without any warning slapped him on the back. "Boredom taking its toll, eh?"

He scowled, attempting to massage the now numb part of his back. "I don't see how my boredom gives you the right to hit me."

"Ah, but you see," Leonardo enthusiastically explained in that scientifically manner of speaking of his, "One just needs to know how to start one's day is all."

He raised an eyebrow, looking at his friend with an almost suspicious eye. "I'm not a fan of coffee."

"No, no, no." It was times like these, when Leonardo's face lit up with scientific wonder, that made Ezio realize he was in for it. "It's all in the attitude. You know, some say that if you're happy in the morning the remaining day will no doubt reflect that enjoyment."

"Hmm…" Ezio mused, resting his head in his leather gloved hand. "You actually believe that?"

Leonardo frowned, his earlier excitement quickly draining from his face. He huffed, snatching one of the tools near Ezio before returning to his desk. "There are times when even I believe in things that are not logical." There was a pause before he continued, "If your so adamant about refusing my help, which I assume is the reason you stopped by, then why don't you begin the day the same way you end it: with women."

And suddenly it hit him, not unlike the 'pat' on the back he received only moments ago. There was a lovely young lady wandering the canals of Venezia, surely bored out of her mind without him, that it would be a disservice to her if he neglected to visit her on this fine not-quite-spring day. It shouldn't be too difficult to lure her away from the hustle and bustle of morning. If worse came to worse, he could always tip over the gondola, save her from drowning, and blame it on the rough early tides. Though, he would never dream of putting a young woman through such turmoil so early in the morning, even if the aftermath could result in rather . . . pleasant evening.

He had trouble holding back the grin that surfaced on his face as he stood from his chair and grabbed his cloak from where it was hung on the back of his chair. While he buckled his cloak into place and drew the hood over his face, he looked over at Leonardo, "Grazie for the help, Amico Mio,"

Leonardo merely shook his head, "I feel bad for the poor signorina you've set your eyes on; may she live a long life and spare me any further headaches."

Ezio chuckled quietly as he swung open the door of Leonardo's workshop. The sudden heat of the sun upon his body was a welcome pleasure, one that he would be sure to appreciate once winter bared its fangs again. The streets were already busy, people bustled from one market stall to the next, and merchants yelled their latest sales to the sky. This city was swarming with life, but despite the fact that he had a daunting task set in front of him, he rather enjoyed finding the needle inside the haystack.

"Hello."

And then there were times – very rare times – when the needle found him, its sharp tip poking somewhat teasingly into his side. That initial prick always seemed to make him jump.

He spun, turning to where he caught a glimpse of blond hair and there she stood, hands entwined behind her back and a warm smile upon her lips. So much for the 'save her from drowning' plan, he thought. Then again, being an Undine one would expect her to know how to swim in the first place.

"My, my, what a coincidence." She mused, a feather light laugh escaping from her lips as she closed the distance that separated them.

"Indeed." He agreed, a smirk surfacing on his face as he watched her dance her way towards him, or perhaps that was just a trick of the sunlight. "What brings you out of the water?"

"It's my day off," she said, her eyes scanning the marketplace as if she had never set foot there before, with wide eyed wonder. "I figured it would be nice if I bought something for Akari, she's been working so hard after all."

"Akari?"

Her eyes came back to him, "My apprentice."

"Ah, the girl I met earlier." His mind drifted to that cheerful teenage girl and it dawned on him, "You and she are very much alike."

She laughed, "Is that so?" Turning away from him, he watched as she wandered towards the many stores that lined Venezia's streets, a hazy kind of happiness in her eyes. Her right hand was held away from her body as if her fingers gently trailed along an imaginary wall, while her left arm swayed joyfully at her side. It wasn't long before she stopped in front of glass shop.

"You know," she began as she picked up a glass sculpture that was displayed on one of the shop's counters. "Even though she's only been here for a year, there are times when I feel like she knows more of this city than I do." She smiled, handing the glass cat to the merchant along with proper payment. "She always stands by me though."

He watched the shop keeper gently wrap the cat in paper before placing it securely in a small box. "I would wager that she thinks the same of you. After all, we never truly stop learning."

After gathering her gift from the merchant, she returned her attention back to him and they began their walk once more. As he studied her silently, his eyes traveling over her form, he noticed that the somewhat worried tone she had taken when speaking of her apprentice had disappeared and contentedness had spread over her countenance. He was learning that observing her like he would his prey never allowed him the pleasure of seeing into her head, something that unnerved him. It was as if his mind couldn't slow down to her leisurely meandering pace. He felt anxious and tense, like her very presence was a challenge against his life and way of being. It was strange, he thought as he watched her turn over the box in her hands, how could she be so calm in city so full of blood?

"There's a place I would like to show you," she stated, somewhat out of the blue. Skipping ahead, she looked back at him with a smile, "Do you mind?"

His eyes closed briefly, taking in a long breath through his nostrils before exhaling slowly. "Not at all."

Laughing, she settled into a comfortable walking pace, one that caused him to slow down to leisurely stroll. They wandered through many empty alleys where the sky was hidden behind fluttering cloths that stretched across its expanse and over small cramped bridges that connected one part of Venezia to another, where the only noise accompanying their footsteps was the light gurgling of the canals that flowed forever under their feet. The young woman, Alicia, was always a few steps ahead of him, even though she wavered from one object of attention to another (a window sill flower, an oddly placed door knob, and a discarded letter), almost as if she had forgotten the purpose of their journey, lost somewhere back in the maze like streets of Venezia. She habitually looked back to see if he was still in tow, and though they were few and far between he found himself looking forward to seeing those blue eyes peek meekly behind blond bangs.

The passage of time seemed to slip by him, for though their walk had seemed like it lasted for quite some time it appeared to him no longer than the passing of the breeze. They then emerged into a small alcove, completely enclosed on all sides by old crumbling yet inhabited buildings. A tree stood rooted in the center, its branches stretching towards the sky in attempt to gather heat from the sun. Small green buds were nature's hints to where flowers would bloom. To there right was a small café with a single table. The owner, a round middle aged man with graying hair, immediately noticed his two recent intruders and a beaming smile spread quickly over his bearded face.

"Alicia!" he bellowed, arms spreading wide in a gesture of welcome. "What a pleasure it is! How long has it been?"

His companion smiled, "My, my, since the beginning of Autumn I believe."

"Too long, too long," he mumbled, wiping off the table with a cloth. "Come, come, sit down." he wandered off for a moment only to return with two small cups that he placed down upon the table.

"And who might your friend be, hmm?" He queried, filling their cups with steaming tea, a smirk on his face, "A suitor perhaps?"

Ezio watched her carefully, curious to see what her answer would be. At first he believed she didn't hear the man's question, but as she brought the tea cup to her lips, he vaguely caught sight of a tint of rouge on her cheeks and a soft tilt to her lips.

The man grinned, "A secret, eh? Well, you don't need to tell me when I'm in the way. If you need anything give a shout."

A silence swallowed them as they quietly drank their tea. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed her trail a finger along the outer edge of the china. "You seemed tense," she stated, finally removing her eyes from the cup in her hands to take in the world around her. "So I thought you might enjoy it here."

He settled his gaze upon her, her form nearly melting into the old rustic background of this long forgotten recess. Her eyes were nearly closed, the cup cradled within both hands and the ever present smile graced her face. She brought the cup to her mouth again, and had the tip of glass been jagged or as sharp as a blade her lips would be slowly pumping out red flowers that would have looked much more beautiful on trees.

He blinked, somewhat taken back by the sudden turn his thoughts had taken. Averting his eyes from her red lips, he struggled to find a reply, not that what she said required any response. As a matter of fact, the longer they sat there, nearly alone in this secret realm of theirs, the more he realized that she wasn't expecting anything from him other than company. He was suspicious at first, brows creasing into a slight frown and his fingers toying with the hidden mechanism within his sleeve, but once his ears became accustomed to the birds' song, the wind's call, and the faint sound of her breath, his fingers ceased their fidgeting and his hands lay folded in his lap. Inhaling the crisp Venezian air, he felt as if a heavy load had been lifted from his shoulders. It was amazing what a cup of tea could do for a man.

AN- *grin* I've figured out the conspiracy, (well it may not be a conspiracy but there will be action) so look forward to that development. This will be updated in two weeks' time as usual. Please review and let me know what you think so far.


End file.
